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31/05/2011

Mother Monster Moshes to Maiden

It seems Lady Gaga has no secrets about her love for metal music. In fact, one of her favourite metal bands are the legends, Iron Maiden, whom she recently went to see on their current world tour.

Gaga's influence from this music is quite evident in all aspects of her act, from her elaborate costumes to the imagery and lyrics of the songs. Typically, metal music is defined as loud, thick textures and heavy guitar riffs mixed with powerful bass-driven drums and beats. The 'frontman' is a vital part of a metal band's line-up, and is said to be the main device in which the music is communicated to the audience. Every part of the singer's role is crucial to the audience's response. Their tone of voice to their body movements are all part of conveying the message to their fans. Lady Gaga is of course extrememly talented at this, taking on a whole persona and character with which she can tell wild and fantastical stories; her songs. The lyrical themes of metal music often refer to ideas of the occult and religion, and tend to concentrate on dark subject matters not usually found in that of mainstream pop music. So if you look at just a few of Gaga's songs, Judas, Alejandro etc, and compare the overall themes and ideas (along with purposefully shocking and theatrical / spectacular costumes, stage sets and props), with that of Iron Maiden or other metal bands, Gaga really isn't doing anything originial. However, what she has managed to do is bring her love of metal into the mainstream music arena by using elements of the genre in a context that today's society will understand.

The other huge element of metal music is the loyalty and commitment that fans have to their favourite bands, and vice-versa. It sounds a little cheesy, but the community and 'scenes' that are found within metal is one of the greatest things about the whole genre. I'd definitely say that metal has the most loyal fans, and fans of every age group, too. There is something about the music (and I won't go into it properly - there's tonnes of scholarly articles and literature around the subject), that acts as a social bonding process between fans - almost an acceptance, that some people may not be able to find elsewhere. However, I started talking about Lady GaGa, so I'll continue; it is this envrionment found in the metal genre that GaGa has recently been speaking about.

Here, GaGa explains her experience of the Maiden gig.

“We were dancing and singing and everyone was just so into it. And it was one of the first times I’ve been able to just be at a rock concert in a long time. People did recognize me, but it was so kind and warm and awesome. I mean, Iron Maiden is all about, We don’t care who our fans are. We love everybody.”

"I guess what I’m trying to say is the devotion of the fans moving in unison, pumping their fists, watching the show, when I see that, I see the paradigm for my future and the relationship I want to have with my fans. Iron Maiden’s never had a hit song, and they tour stadiums around the world, and their fans live, breathe and die for Maiden, and that is my dream. That is my dream.”

"And not only that, but when we got into the crowd, there was no pretension. I’m a pop singer — I didn’t know what it would be like in a crowd of a Maiden fans; everybody was hugging me, high-fiving, fistpumps in the air… ‘Oh, it’s so cool you’re at Maiden.’ Jumping and dancing…I mean, it was like absolute no judgment, no prejudice, freedom and love for music. It doesn’t matter who you are; you don’t need to know anything about music to love it. And it was just so… It was just awesome… Maiden changed my life."

So there you have it; straight from the horse's mouth. Now, go and listen to some Maiden!